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ZippittyDooBlah t1_iru1m9a wrote

Just a drop in the lake. 2.5 million people cross the lake on LCT ferries every year.

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destructo767 t1_iru1qaz wrote

Thank God for the commuter card

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EasternKanye t1_iru4rl2 wrote

Time for a bridge!

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EphraimJenkins t1_irura7i wrote

Or a tunnel!

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whattothewhonow t1_irvoovu wrote

Champlain is almost 200ft deep where the current ferry crosses to Grand Isle. Apparently the Army Corp of Engineers considered the idea of a suspended tunnel back in the early 80's, but dismissed it due to the lake bottom being too soft and high winds being a concern. It seems like many suspended floating tunnels have been proposed across the world, but none built yet, though China and Norway are actively pursuing the tech. Would be interesting to see VT/NY be the first to use such a tunnel, but I don't see it happening.

https://vtdigger.org/2022/05/08/new-yorkers-with-vermont-ties-push-for-a-new-bridge-across-the-lake/

I do think a suspension or cable-stay bridge could be designed to cross the channel between NY and VT and be aesthetically beautiful

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PuddleCrank t1_irvkzhx wrote

You think if they built a bridge it wouldn't have a toll both? And that the toll would be cheep? Wild.

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okeefm t1_irvpmt6 wrote

I'm gonna guess it'd probably be cheaper than $22.50 round trip (assuming no one's in the car with you)

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Street-Network9857 t1_iry6yb3 wrote

Grand isle residents who live here don't want it

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Loudergood t1_is0acg3 wrote

Is that so? Pretty sure we just don't want to pay for it.

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Street-Network9857 t1_is1smov wrote

Any one I know that live in the islands do not want it.

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Loudergood t1_is1zo4i wrote

Hi. I don't really see the downside for me. We're not going to become an bedroom community for Plattsburgh as long as there's a toll or cheaper land to the west of the city. Now there's a turn lane at ferry Rd which will clear up the one spot that even makes me slow down on my commute.

Maybe it'll bump up housing prices in Plattsburgh? Even with a bridge that's a similar commute to Swanson though. Which doesn't have a toll and already has similar prices.

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Swede577 t1_irx943p wrote

I lived in Grand Isle back in the early 2000's and many people told me you could buy a house for like half the price or more compared to the Burlington area on the NY side. The property taxes were also like a fraction of the cost. For the amount of money they were saving they said it was worth taking the ferry. Is that still somewhat true today?

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nolsinhere OP t1_isamc98 wrote

You can easily spend half as much money on a house in Plattsburgh, NY compared to Burlington, VT. However, there are vast differences in the political and cultural climates between the 2 cities and I would much rather pay the money to live in Vermont.

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Traditional_Lab_5468 t1_irx1vfh wrote

Grand Isle should be like those Swiss mountain towns with no cars that are only accessible by gondola. Just stick a big tension wire across the lake and have a parking garage on shore that Grand Isle residents get an assigned spot in.

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